A series of measures announced yesterday will make tertiary education more accessible and affordable for needy students and give an added push to social mobility.
Most students from lower-income households in universities and polytechnics will see a big portion of their tuition fees slashed, with bursary amounts set to go up next year.
This is to ensure that as more Singaporeans from less well-off households make it to the polytechnics and universities, tuition costs do not hinder them from furthering their education or constrain their choice of courses.
At the university level, the most needy students will pay only $2,000 a year, compared with the $4,200 they pay now. The full fee for a general degree is $8,200.
Government bursaries for new and existing medical and dentistry undergraduates will also be increased, with students from families in the bottom 20% income group having to pay only $5,000 a year – compared with the full fees of $28,900 at the National University of Singapore and $34,700 at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung also announced increased opportunities for the 30% of Institute of Technical Education graduates who currently do not progress beyond their Nitec qualification, such as ITE’s SkillsFuture Work-Study diplomas and full-time Higher Nitec courses.
Mr Ong stressed that education is fundamental to our social mobility and cost cannot be an impediment for families with hard work and talent and aptitude to upgrade their lives.
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Source: The Straits Times, 23 August 2019